Bowling ball retarding mechanism



March 1964 H. c. CLARK ETAL BOWLING BALL RETARDING MECHANISM Filed June 24, 1960 INVENTORS. HENRY C.GLARK HERBERT W. EASTERLING LOWELL E. MOKEAN JAMES C. SEOORD 'ATTORN EY United States Patent 3,125,342 BOWLING BALL RETARDING MECHANISM Henry C, Clark, Herbert W. Ea'sterling, and Lowell E.

McKean, Shelby, and James C. Secord, Mansfield, Ohio,

assignors to American Machine & Foundry Company,

a corporation of New Jersey Filed June 24, 1960, Ser. No. 38,472 3 Claims. (Cl. 273-47) This invention relates to bowling apparatus, and more particularly to improvements in bowling ball stops or bowling ball retarding devices operative to reduce the momentum of bowling balls rolling along a bowling ball return of a bowling alley en route to a position of rest at the players location at the approach end of the alley.

The invention relates particularly to a bowling ball check or retarding device wherein the exit angular and linear velocity of a bowling ball is independent of its Weight. This constitutes an important advance in the art because generally in all conventional types of ball checks known to applicants and now on the market, exit velocity increases with the weight of the ball.

As used herein, exit velocity means the velocity of a ball at the time it is delivered by or from the ball check or retarding device directly into the ball storage rack at the end of the bowling ball return.

A traveling member, constructed in accordance with the invention, operates to roll or propel a bowling ball from the bowling ball return runway, through a ball check or retarding device, into the ball storage rack. Its action on each ball upon which it operates converts the forward angular velocity of a ball when first engaged thereby to zero velocity; it next imparts a differentdireca tion of rotation to each ball, and as each ball is delivered from the ball check or retarding device by the traveling member or rotating member, it again passes through zero velocity so that when delivered into the ball storage rack, the ball is moving slowly with practically no velocity as it gravitates downwardly on slightly inclined tracks into the storage rack where it comes to rest in a markedly improved manner and wherein all damage to balls from impact by one another and accidents to players hands are substantially eliminated.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel ball check or ball retarding device for use with bowling alley ball returns and a novel method of checking the movement of balls wherein each ball is resiliently, yet firmly, gripped by a traveling ball engaging and displacing memher, and delivered into a storage rack.

It is a furtherobject of the invention to provide a novel ball return check or retarding device comprising a yieldable slowly moving member having a resilient peripheral surface operative to engage bowling balls as they roll along the bowling ball returnrunway, and wherein each ball engaged by the member is brought to zero angular velocity and then rolled by the member beneath fixed guiding and holding means to a point of delivery onto the storage rack where the ball will come to rest.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel ball check or ball retarding device for use with a bowling alley ball return and a novel method for checking the movement of the balls rolling along the ball return, wherein each ball is resiliently, yet firmly, gripped by a slowly moving ball engaging and displacing member moving at a speed equal to a small fraction of the velocity of the ball it engages in order to check the momentum of such ball for delivery at a slow rate of speed into a ball storage rack.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel ball check or retarding device which because of its construction and operation is free from any parts or operating elements in the path of travel of or engageable 3,125,342 Patented Mar. 17, 1964 by a ball which could damage it as by scratching or chipping, as it moves to a position of rest.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel ball check or retarding device which because of its construction is compact, easy to install and service, and does not interfere with movements of bowlers or constitute a hazard to them when playing the game.

With these and other objects not specifically mentioned in view, the invention consists in certain combinations and constructions which will be hereinafter fully described, and then set forth in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate the same or like parts:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a preferred form of a bowling ball check and retarding device;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional end elevation taken on line 33 of FIGURE 1.

The bowling ball check mechanism or retarding device made in accordance with the invention can be used on any type of bowling alley ball return as long as it can be so mounted that the ball engaging surface of a moving ball engaging and speed checking and propelling member is located in the path of travel of balls rolling toward the storage rack portion of the ball return runway on which it is installed. Further, it can be used on any type of bowling alley ball return as long as it can be mounted so that the momentum of the rolling ball will continue the linear velocity of the bowling ball so that the bowling ball will contact the ball engaging surface of a moving ball engaging and speed checking and propelling member and a bowling ball retarding device in the path of travel of balls rolling toward the storage rack portion of the ball runway on which it is installed.

Referring to the drawings, FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 disclose a preferred embodiment of the invention. It is shown mounted for operation at the approach or players end of the bowling alley. It can be used with a single alley or with two.

Base 2 is anchored to a suitable means (not shown), such as a portion of the alley approach, and properly spaced below rails 8 and 10 of the bowling ball return runway by rigidly fixed supports comprising two columns 4, a plate 6, and two columns 12 and a plate 6. Plates 6 hold the runway rails 8 and it) in a properly spaced manner.- Rigidly fixed to base 2 is pivot bracket 14 having a pivot 16 at each end on which frame 18 pivots. The

left hand portion of frame 18, as viewed in FIGURES l and 2, carries a cross bar 20 having depending pins 22 encircled by one end of compression springs 23. The other ends of springs 23 encircle threaded pins 24 and bear against collars 25 maintained in adjusted position by nuts 27 on pins 24. The exit velocity of a ball can be varied by either increasing or decreasing the resiliency of compression springs 23 by adjusting nuts 27 on pins 24. Near the motor end of frame 18, and rigidly fixed to base 2 is a stop bracket 28 for frame 18 and having adjusting screws 30 which limit the movement of frame 18 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 1, under the influence of springs 23 and the weight of motor 32 carried on the right hand portion of frame 18 (see FIGURE 1). Fixed to motor shaft 33 is a pulley 34 on which runs driving belt 36 which in turn runs on and drives pulley 38 mounted on shaft 40 journalled in frame 18. Also mounted on shaft 40 is a pulley 42 which drives belt 44 moving on and driving pulley 46 secured to shaft 48 journalled in frame 18. Fixed to shaft 48 and rotated thereby is a ball engaging and handling member, such as a wheel designated generally 50. Member 50 3 comprises a hub 51 011 which is mounted a pneumatic tire 52.

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, wheel 50 is supported on shaft 48 in such manner that it is located substantially centrally between rails 810.

The resilient support afforded by springs 23 and the weight of motor 32 insure that tire 52 normally will be positioned in the path of travel of balls rolling along the upsweep portion 9 of rails 810. Fastened to rails 8 and 10 are upwardly extending supports 54 and 56 to which are secured substantially horizontally extending snubbing bars 58. The forward ends of bars 58 preferably are curved upwardly and outwardly, as shown in FIGURES 13, in order to provide for free entry of a ball between snubbing bars 58. These snubbing bars preferably are covered with a friction surface, such as rubber or plastic tubing, so as to provide a positive snubbing action upon balls entering therebetween. Referring to FIGURES 1 and 3, it will be seen that bars 58 are supported above rails 8 and 10 at a distance less than the maximum diameter of a bowling ball. The lateral spacing of bars 58 also is less than the maximum diameter of a bowling ball. A ball will ride on rails 8 and 10 until such time that it contacts the wheel 50, whereas the ball is then raised slightly off the rails so that the ball is in contact with snubbing bars 58. The ball then has three points of contact, namely, wheel 50 and the two snubbing bars 58.

Thus, when a ball rolls between bars 58 into engagement with tire 52 on slowly rotating resiliently mounted wheel 50 the forward angular velocity of the ball is converted to zero velocity. As the result of the continuous rotation of wheel 50 a ball B is next given a direction of rotation in the opposite direction, or counter-clockwise, as viewed in FIGURE 1, and at the same time wheel 59 rolls ball B along rails 810 and releases it for final movement along rails 810 to a position of rest in a suitable storage rack (not shown). Rails 8-10 preferably are downwardly inclined into the storage rack so that once released from the influence of wheel 50, ball B reverses its direction of rotation as it rolls by gravity slowly to a position of rest. The ball checking action may also be stated as follows:

As ball B rolls between bars 58 and engages tire 52 on wheel 50, the latter pivots downwardly exerting a force against adjustable springs 23, at the same time ball B exerts a force upwardly against bars 58. At the point of contact between tire 52 and rails 8-10 the spin and forward motion are removed from the ball. It is then given a reverse motion by wheel 50 and forced thereby through bars 58. The ball again reverses its motion as it rolls by gravity along rails 810.

Our invention provides a simple and effective bowling ball check wherein bowling balls rolling along the upsweep section of a ball return runway are effectively checked and their forward motion is momentarily reduced to zero velocity. Then by means of the slowly rotating ball engaging and moving member described forward motion in the reverse direction is imparted to a ball and it is delivered to a point of discharge whence again it reverses its direction in response to the action of gravity thereon as it rolls slowly along the terminal portion of the bowling ball return runway to a position of rest.

What we claim is:

1. A bowling ball stop mechanism for a bowling alley comprising a ball track extending from a ball receiving position adjacent the pit of a bowling alley to a ball rest position adjacent the approach end of said alley, a ball storage rack located at said rest position, an upwardly inclined upsweep track portion forming a part of said track and operative to deliver a ball rolling therealong to said storage rack, a constantly traveling ball engaging and displacing member located in the path of travel of a ball between said upsweep track portion and said position of rest, spaced opposed guides located above said track, said guides being adapted for rolling of said ball thereagainst and coacting with said member to maintain it in engagement therewith, and means for driving said member at a constant speed substantially lower than that of said ball rolling into engagement with said traveling member, a pivoted mount for said member, means on one side of the pivot point of said mount normally biasing said mount in a direction to maintain said member in the path of travel of balls rolling between said guides, and other means on the other side of the pivot point of said mount for maintaining a predetermined pressure on a ball engaging said member.

2. The bowling ball stop mechanism defined in claim 1, wherein said pivoted mount comprises a pivotally mounted frame, a shaft supported in said frame, and wherein said member comprises a pneumatic tired wheel having a frictional ball engaging surface carried by said shaft, and said driving means driving said shaft.

3. The bowling ball stop mechanism defined in claim 2, wherein said other means include spring means supporting one end of said frame, and wherein said driving means includes a motor mounted adjacent the other end of said frame, and adjusting means for controlling the extent of movement of said surface of the wheel into the path of travel of balls on said track.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,226,872 Passow Dec. 31, 1940 2,505,932 Anderson May 2, 1950 2,714,440 Forty et a1. Aug. 2, 1955 2,796,261 Turner June 18, 1957 3,015,489 Jones et al Jan. 2, 1962 

1. A BOWLING BALL STOP MECHANISM FOR A BOWLING ALLEY COMPRISING A BALL TRACK EXTENDING FROM A BALL RECEIVING POSITION ADJACENT THE PIT OF A BOWLING ALLEY TO A BALL REST POSITION ADJACENT THE APPROACH END OF SAID ALLEY, A BALL STORAGE RACK LOCATED AT SAID REST POSITION, AN UPWARDLY INCLINED UPSWEEP TRACK PORTION FORMING A PART OF SAID TRACK AND OPERATIVE TO DELIVER A BALL ROLLING THEREALONG TO SAID STORAGE RACK, A CONSTANTLY TRAVELING BALL ENGAGING AND DISPLACING MEMBER LOCATED IN THE PATH OF TRAVEL OF A BALL BETWEEN SAID UPSWEEP TRACK PORTION AND SAID POSITION OF REST, SPACED OPPOSED GUIDES LOCATED ABOVE SAID TRACK, SAID GUIDES BEING ADAPTED FOR ROLLING OF SAID BALL THEREAGAINST AND COACTING WITH SAID MEMBER TO MAINTAIN IT IN ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH, AND MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID MEMBER AT A CONSTANT SPEED SUBSTANTIALLY LOWER THAN THAT OF SAID BALL ROLLING INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID TRAVELING MEMBER, A PIVOTED MOUNT FOR SAID MEMBER, MEANS ON ONE SIDE OF THE PIVOT POINT OF SAID MOUNT NORMALLY BIASING SAID MOUNT IN A DIRECTION TO MAINTAIN SAID MEMBER IN THE PATH OF TRAVEL OF BALLS ROLLING BETWEEN SAID GUIDES, AND OTHER MEANS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PIVOT POINT OF SAID MOUNT FOR MAINTAINING A PREDETERMINED PRESSURE ON A BALL ENGAGEING SAID MEMBER. 